Bulls Blast Bats 17-11, Extend Lead To Three Games
Bulls shortstop Tristan Gray, designated hitter Manuel Margot, catcher Francisco Mejia and first baseman Logan Driscoll combined to record eight hits and drive in thirteen runs as Durham scored a season-high seventeen runs in a 17-11 victory over the Louisville Bats on Tuesday evening at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Durham’s
Bulls shortstop Tristan Gray, designated hitter Manuel Margot, catcher Francisco Mejia and first baseman Logan Driscoll combined to record eight hits and drive in thirteen runs as Durham scored a season-high seventeen runs in a 17-11 victory over the Louisville Bats on Tuesday evening at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Durham’s victory along with Lehigh Valley’s loss in Rochester extended the Bulls’ first place lead in the International League Second Half standings to three games with 11 regular season games remaining. The Norfolk Tides, who won the first half, will host the second half winner in a three-game series between September 26-28 to determine the International League Champion.
After the Bats plated four runs in the top of the first, the Bulls answered right back with a seven-spot, highlighted by 3B Austin Shenton’s two-run double, in addition to two-run singles from Driscoll and Margot. Louisville would plate two more tallies in the second, though Durham would counter right back in the third with a five-run third that included an RBI double from Driscoll and a three-run blast from Mejia.
Margot would drive in his third run of the evening with an RBI single in the fourth, with Gray following with a run-scoring single in the fifth to make it a 14-6 contest. One inning later, Gray smashed a bases-clearing three-run double to right to extend the advantage to 17-6. The Bats would later narrow the deficit with five runs over the final two innings.
Driscoll (3-5, 3 R, 3 RBI) posted a game-high three knocks, with Margot (2-2, 2 2R, 3 RBI, 2 BB) and Gray (2-5, 1 2B, 4 RBI) adding multi-hit efforts of their own. Mejia’s longball was the 212nd hit by the Bulls this season, matching the franchise’s single-season record that was set last year.
Durham reliever Manuel Rodriguez (2.0 IP, 3 SO) earned the win with two scoreless frames. Louisville starter Lyon Richardson (0.2 IP, 2 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 1 SO) suffered the defeat.
The two teams are scheduled to face off again on Wednesday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35pm. LHP Mason Montgomery is anticipated to get the nod for the Bulls and is slated to be opposed by RHP Alec Mills.
Tickets for that game and all remaining 2023 Durham Bulls home games are available, and can be purchased at DurhamBulls.com, or by calling 919.956.BULL.